Signaling device for automobiles.



W. G. NASH SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 18, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' la II may! WITNESSES v a 550m fli W. G. NASH.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Min.

ATTORNEYS UNI TED STATES PATENT onnron.

-WILLIAM GARDINER NASH, OF DAYTONA, FLORIDA.-

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NO 29 191() Application filedSeptember 18, 1909. Serial No. 518,38.

To all whom '6 may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. NASH, a

. citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dayton-a, in the'county of Volusia and State of Florida, have invented a new andImproved Signaling Device for Auto1noblles, of which the following is afull, clear,

, especially designed for use on automobiles collision and to preventand other vehicle's, and arranged to signal to vehicles or pedestriansor other persons in the front or in the rear of the vehicle, in whatdirection the vehicle intends to turn, to avoid persons from being runover.

In practice, I prefer to use one signaling device at the front and asimilar signaling device at the rear of the vehicle, both devices beingsimultaneously actuated by the chanfieur todisplay the desiredsignaheach device having a fixed casing provided with a display openingand a revoluble sign within the said casing, and having each of itssides provided with signs or other signaling means adapted to bedisplayed in the said casing opening, to thus give the signal at thefront and rear of the vehicle.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in .theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, n whichsimilar characters of reference 1nd1- cate corresponding parts in allthe views.

Figure 1 '1s a side elevation of the improvement as applied to anautomobile; Fig. 2'is an enlarged front elevation of thecasing and thesign contained therein Fig. 3

is an enlarged cross section of the signaling device as applied; Fig. 4is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3; andFig. 5 is a similar view of the same on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

On the'dashboard, or on the frame A of the wind shield, of an automobileor other vehicle, is attached a'bracket B, from which depends a casing Chaving a display opening C at the front, and within the said casing C isarranged a sign D in the form of acasing, triangular in sectional planview, and

having each of its sides D, D D cut out in the form of a letter or othersignaling means, the letters being preferably R, L and S, standing forRight, Left and Straight, respectively. Thus when the letter S 1sdisplayed in the opening C, it indicates that I the vehicle is going totravel straight ahead,

and when the sign D is turned to display the side having the letter B,it indicates that the vehicle'is going to turn to the right, and whenthe sign D isturned to show the letter L in the double opening Q then itindicates that the vehicle is going to turn to the left. In practice,the cut-out portions forming the. letters in the sides D, D D arecovered by a glass E, preferably of-a red color, and within the sign isarranged a gas burner F or a lamp, to illuminate the sign inthe nightso. that the signaling lettors are readily visible at a distance. Thetop of the sign D is providedwith a trunnion D, extending through thetop. of the casing C and journaled in a suitable hearthe sign D isattached to a base D secured to a vertically-disposed hollow 'shaft- G,journaled-in suitable bearings arranged on brackets H and H, of whichthebracket H is attached to the frame A while the bracket H is secured tothe body A of the vehicle, as plainly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. Thelower end of the hollow shaft G is connected with a gas supply pipe'I,connected with a gas tank or the like, so as to supply the burner F withgas, to permit the use of the signaling device during the night, aspreviously explained.

On the shaft G issecured apinion J in mesh with a segmental gearwheel J,fulorumed at J 2 on the frame A and'pressed on by a spring K attached tothe frame A, as indicated in Fig. 1. A cord or a cable L is connectedwith the segmental gear wheel J and extends over a pulley L, to connectwith one end of a slide N, mounted to slide in a suitable bearing 0,attached to the frame A of the vehicle. A similar cord or cable Lconnects with the other end of the slide N, to lead to the segmentalgear wheel ,J of the signaling device, arranged on the rear of thevehicle, and which signaling device is identical in construction withthe one described, the only difference being that the display opening ofthe casing C faces rearwardly instead of forwardly, so that. the sidesD, D D of the sign D contained in this casing are displayed in arearward direction to signal the following vehicles. The slide N ispivotally connected by a link P with a hand lever Q under the control ofthe chauffeur in charge of the vehlcle and the said hand lever Q isprovided with a locking lever Q, adapted toeng'ag'e a notched claim Iasnew and desireto secure by Letsegment R, as indicated in Fig. 1. Now byters Patent: the chauffeur unlocking the hand leirerQ A device ofthecharacter specified, comand shifting the same to one of threeposiprising an outer casing having adisplay tions, a corresponding sideD ,-D .or' D is opening, a shaft journaled vertically in the so movedinto display position in theopening casing, an inner casing secured tothe shaft, C of the c'asingD forthe purpose previsaid casing beingpolygonal in'cross section ously explained. and having cut out portionsinits faces Although I have described the use of two forming symbols, aburner Within the casing 10 signaling devices on the ends of thevehicle, "for illuminating the same, said shaft being 35 it is evidentthat only one such signaling dchollow and the burner being connectedwith vice may be employed at either the front or the shaft, a fuelsupply pipe for the burner rear end of the vehicle; Y :;connected withthe shaft outside of the cas- I The position of the sign D -is indicatedto ing, a hand lever, a connection between the 15 the chauil'eur byletters on the segment R .said lever and the shaft for rotating the 40corresponding to the letters on the sides D, shaft in one direction, anda spring for re- 1) and D of-the'sign D. A three-cornered turning theshaft. knob S sin'iilarly lettered may be secured to In testimonywhereof I have signed my the trunnion D, the letters on the knob .be-.name to this specification in the presence of 20 ing arranged so {thatthe 1game letipifighi? twosubscribing witnesses.

is uis )laycc on tie si 'n faces t e c an I T fem-. The letters on thesign D are suiii- VILLIAM GARDIA ER BASH ciently large'to be readilyvisible adistance W itnesses: ahead. Y F. N. CONRAD; 3:, Having thusdescribed my invention, I W. L. DIGGETT.

